


Lovesick

by QuoteIntangible



Category: Free!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Future Fish, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Excessive Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-02
Updated: 2015-03-02
Packaged: 2018-03-16 01:19:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3469067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QuoteIntangible/pseuds/QuoteIntangible
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Seijuurou's first three attempts at proposing to his boyfriend, Makoto, have gone horribly wrong, but that doesn't mean it's not meant to be, it's just a sign he has to try harder. </p><p>AU set in the FutureFish!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lovesick

The first time Seijuurou tried proposing to his boyfriend, Makoto, was a complete and utter disaster. He planned it for months, picked out a ring, found a perfect spot, determined the perfect day, and all his hard work came to absolutely nothing.

It was New Year's Eve, and like usual, they spent it at the festival hanging out with friends and family. A little before midnight, Seijuurou led Makoto to a secluded spot away from the crowd. At midnight the fireworks would be in the distance behind them, and Seijuurou would get on one knee, ask his beloved to marry him, and kiss under the fireworks when Makoto said yes. He even hired a photographer to hide nearby to capture the perfect moment. Except it didn't go quite as Seijuurou had planned.

"Are you alright?" he asked Makoto as he led his boyfriend, hand in hand, to the perfect spot he scouted weeks ago. The entire night Makoto looked a little green and kept rubbing a hand over his stomach.

"I think so. I just don't think whatever Haru made for lunch is agreeing with me." Makoto sat next to him on the bench and hunched over his stomach protectively. Well, not the best circumstances to propose, but Seijuurou was not to be deterred.

"He make you the guinea pig for his new dish again?" Seijuurou asked, rubbing a hand across Makoto's tense shoulders.

Makoto nodded. Resting his head on Sei's shoulder, he said, "but I only agreed to try it if he did, because we all know how last time ended."

Sei smiled at that. It was funny in retrospect, but at the time it was horrifying to learn his boyfriend was in the hospital because Haru accidentally poisoned him. They all knew why Makoto kept testing Haru's new dishes, but he really wished that Makoto would just say no for once.

The first firework lit up the night sky in the distance.

"It must be midnight," Makoto sighed and burrowed into Seijuurou's side. It was now or never, he decided. He pulled away, Makoto giving him an adorable confused look, and faced his boyfriend, his rock, his partner in everything. Entwining their hands together, he looked in Makoto's beautiful green eyes. "There's, uh, t-there's something I want to ask you?" he uncharacteristically stuttered. Seijuurou was not one to be cowed by fears and he was fairly confident Makoto was going to say yes, but there was a smidge of doubt niggling at the back of his mind that Makoto might actually turn him down.

The color drained from Makoto's face suddenly. Before Seijuurou knew what was happening, his boyfriend was up in a flash, hurrying away.

"Makoto?" the usually unflappable Captain cried, worried that maybe Makoto guessed what he was going to ask and was running away. His heart slowed down a little when he realized his boyfriend was not in fact running away, but was instead throwing his guts up in the bushes.

"Ugh. I knew I shouldn't have tried Haru's new dish. He must have given me food poisoning," his boyfriend groaned, then he was back to vomiting in the bushes.

In the distance, the fireworks stopped. The perfect moment was over.

He heard rustling and heavy footsteps approaching. On instinct, he reached for his gun which he didn't have actually have on him. It was only Sousuke, though, one of the police officers under his command. "Captain," Sousuke greeted. 

"Aren't you supposed to be on duty?"

"Rin sent me to warn you that the lunch Haru made might give Makoto food poisoning. Looks like I'm too late," Sousuke said, jerking his thumb in Makoto's direction who was throwing up in the bushes again.

 _And it looks like I'm not going to propose tonight after all_ , he thought miserably. He cursed Haru, gathered his boyfriend, and made Sousuke drive them home in his cop car. He tucked his boyfriend into their bed and then snuck out of the room. Pulling the jewelry box from his pocket, he looked at the ring he picked for Makoto. It was just a simple silver band with the day they met inscribed on the inside, but right now all he wanted was for that ring to be on Makoto's finger.

He would just have to hide it until he could try again. They were going on vacation in a few months. He could create another perfect moment. He would just have to keep the ring hidden until then. But where? Makoto already almost found it sitting snugly in his gym bag a few days ago.

 _The precinct,_ he thought,  _I'll keep it in my desk._

The next day, he found himself sitting in his office, staring at the ring forlornly when Rin knocked and let himself in before Seijuurou could reply.

"Captain I need to—" he started, then trailed off when he spotted the ring in Seijuurou's hands and at, he was sure, the sad sappy look on his face. Rin was the only person who knew that Seijuurou was going to propose. "Oh my God, he said no! I was certain Makoto was going to say yes! I mean the guy is head over heels for you."

"He didn't say no," Seijuurou sighed, snapping the lid to the jewelry box shut and placing the ring in his desk.

"You chickened out and didn't ask?" Rin asked, a look of shock on his face as if he was seeing his strong, confident, courageous Captain in a new light.

"No, I didn't chicken out."

"Then, what?" Rin asked as if there was no alternative problem that could have arisen to stale the proposal. This is why Seijuurou was captain and not Rin if he couldn't make the connection between the food poisoning Haru suffered last night, that Rin himself warned him of, and the failed proposal. Then Rin's eyes widened in understanding. "Oh, oh no."

"Yes," Seijuurou nearly snapped, crossing his arms and glaring at his subordinate. "Your boyfriend gave _my_ boyfriend food poisoning and he started throwing up right when I was about to propose." He saw the look on Rin's face and added, "and if you want to keep this job, you will not laugh."

"Okay, okay," Rin said, holding his hands up in a peace offering. "I really am sorry, Captain. When are you going to try again?"

"We're going on vacation in two months, I'll ask then."

"So long?" Rin's face settled into a soft smile, one that didn't show his pointy teeth when Seijuurou continued to glare at him. "It doesn't need all the bells and whistles, you know, you could just ask him anytime."

"I want it to be special. He deserves it."

"Whatever you say, Captain."

* * *

The second time Seijuurou tried to purpose and his careful plan went up in puff of smoke, it was entirely his own fault.

They were at a beautiful resort on the beach. Nothing but warm sun and beautiful blue skies and just the two of them. They needed this vacation and the time to relax. Being the youngest Captain in the history of ever was way more pressure than it was worth sometimes. They said he defied logic breezing through the ranks and shooting straight towards Captain in just a few years after joining the force. It was unheard of and a lot of really weird coincidences, being in the right place, right time, hard work, a botched undercover case that almost cost him his life, and sheer dumb luck, that got him there quicker than anyone else ever had. A lot of people hated him for it, others looked down their noses at him, and almost everyone, but the important people in his life and his officers, assumed he was going to fail spectacularly. He had to be better than the other captains because of it and not failing, at anything ever, took a toll. Makoto's job as a fireman wasn't any easier. People's lives literally depended on him.

They needed this vacation, and Seijuurou needed another perfect moment to propose. He was looking at the ring in the palm of his hand while Makoto showered. He gave himself a pep talk, once again, for the proposal he could not wait to make. Sitting on the hotel bed, dreaming on the perfect proposal and the perfect wedding that was sure to follow, Seijuurou lost track of time. Before he knew it, the bathroom door was opening and he quickly stuffed the ring in his pocket.

Hours later, after a delicious dinner and some sightseeing, they sat on the beach, holding hands, watching the sun set over the ocean. It was perfect.

"Makoto," he said his partner's name with such reverence that Makoto turned questioning eyes towards him. "I love you, so, so much. You mean the entire world to me. I, I wouldn't be the person I am today, and I never would have made it to Captain so soon without you."

Makoto gave him that small, soft smile with the tilt of his head that Seijuurou fell in love with on their very first date. "I love you too, Sei. And I feel the exact same way about you," he said, squeezing Seijuurou's hand.

As the sun dipped below the horizon in a splash of pink and yellow, Sei could not have asked for a more picture perfect moment. He reached into his pocket and….oh no. The ring wasn't there! It must have fallen out at the hotel.  _Shit,_ he internally panicked. Could he still propose without a ring and then just give it to him later? No, no that wouldn't do. It wouldn't be perfect then.  _Shit, shit, shit, what I am going to do?_

As he mentally beat himself up wondering what to do, the sun set completely, the stars emerging across the night sky, and the moment was gone. Then Makoto turned hungry eyes on him.

They ran all the way back to their hotel room, shedding clothes the second the door closed behind them, naked by the time Makoto's back hit the bed. They made love, slow and passionate, every ounce of his love pouring through their connected bodies. Their foreheads touched, eyes never wavering from the other.

He thought maybe there was still time to salvage this proposal if only he could find the ring. But by the time he spotted it partially rolled under the bedside table, Makoto was already fast asleep, the night officially over, and his second attempt at proposing an utter failure.

When they returned home, happy and relaxed for the first time in a long time, Rin took one at Makoto's empty ring finger and pinned him with  _the_   _look._

He found himself having the same exact conversation he had with Rin after the last failure.

"Did he say no?"

"No."

"Did you chicken out?"

"No."

"Then?"

"I lost the ring," he mumbled.

"So you chickened out?" Rin asked, but by the mischievous look on his face, Seijuurou knew he was only teasing. He leveled his subordinate with a glare. "Look, Captain. It doesn't have to be perfect. Makoto loves you. He loves you more than he loves anything else in this world, including cats and that's saying a lot. You love him just as much. It doesn't have to be perfect."

"Just make him a nice dinner," Sousuke suggested, because Rin for some treacherous reason, told his partner about their Captain's plight.

"Then have some hot, passionate, sex with rose petals and candles and shit, and propose after."

Seijuurou thought about it, and he really, really could not wait for the next special and perfect moment to arise. He wanted to be engaged, and married to Makoto right now. Dinner and hot sex it was.

* * *

The third time Seijuurou attempted to propose was just one week after the second failed attempt. And again it was entirely his fault it failed. But he completely blamed the arsonist that set fire to an abandoned factory on his supposed to be special day.

Firefighters worked in 24 hour shifts. It was a fact of life and while Seijuurou didn't always like it, he was certainly willing to live with it because of his sheer love for Makoto and his boyfriend's love for the job. And it's not like he never had late nights at work himself.

He wanted to propose after one of Makoto's shifts so that he would have plenty of time to decorate their room with rose petals on the bed and candles, and the strawberry flavored lube on their bedside table so he could give Makoto the best blowjob he's ever had.

It was as close to perfect as Seijuurou was going to get. But Rin was right, as long as Makoto was there, and said yes, nothing else really mattered. He was going to pick Makoto up at six and then everything was going to go smoothly from there. He demanded it.

Except two hours before the end of Mako's shift, he got called out to a 3 alarm blaze at an abandoned factory on Franklin Street in the northern part of town. By the time the firefighters were able to get the fire under control, and Makoto was finally able to leave, his stations replacements taking over from there, it was 6 hours after his shift was supposed to end originally.

Seijuurou knew he should have called things off, cleaned their bedroom and tried again another day. Makoto was going to be exhausted, too exhausted for what Siejuurou had planned. But he just wanted this to be over with, because he wanted so badly to be married to Makoto. He had pretty much already planned how their wedding was going to go in his head already.

When he picked Makoto up from the station, he could see the exhaustion bleeding from his bloodshot eyes. Soot and ash still covered his clothes and his eyes were drooped and glassy.

Seijuurou knew the minute he laid eyes on Makoto it was a bad idea to go through with his plans, but everything was already set up. He really couldn't back out now.

He took a deep breath when he finally pulled into the driveway. With a shaky hand, he grabbed his sleepy lover and manhandled the exhausted man into their home.

Makoto's eyes widened when he saw their table set for two, a bottle of wine sitting next to a home cooked meal and roses sitting in a vase. "Was tonight some sort of anniversary or something?" he asked, worrying at his bottom lip.

"No," Seijuurou said, steering him towards the table. "I just wanted to do something special for you."

Makoto wanted to say no, he can tell, but he also knew his boyfriend was a people pleaser and wouldn't turn Seijuurou down, not after all the work he put into this.

The conversation was stilted during dinner and Makoto slumped further and further into his seat, eyes fluttering close only to snap open a few seconds later. Seijuurou drank glass after glass of wine trying to bolster his flagging nerves.

They tried to have sex after dinner, even after Makoto got a little snarky with him. He put his best effort forward, despite Makoto's crankiness, but Seijuurou just couldn't get hard. It had nothing to do with Makoto and everything to with the fact that he was nervous and had way too much wine. When he finally gave up, Makoto was already fast asleep. He blew out the candles and snuggled next to his boyfriend (not fiancé) and fell asleep curled around his love.

His alarm woke both of them the next morning. Makoto was snuggling into his side, wrapping his arms around Seijuurou and holding on tight, even though Makoto knew he had to get up. He indulged him, just for a few minutes.

"Sorry I fell asleep on you last night," he said into the crook of Seijuurou's neck, voice still thick with sleep.

"It's okay," he said, rubbing his thumb over Makoto's hip. "I shouldn't have tried to push it on you when you were so tired."

They sat in silence for a few moments, soaking in each other's warm, when Makoto said, "You seemed really nervous about something last night. Is, is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine." He pressed a kiss into Makoto's forehead. "I'm just worried about the station review coming up next week."

The lie slipped easily from his mouth. They both knew Seijuurou's going to ace the annual review, just like he did last year, his first year as Captain. Seijuurou ran the best precinct in the whole town and everyone knew it.

Makoto pulled away a little and sat up, looking down at him like Seijuurou just killed his goldfish. "O-okay," he said, a little unsure, but didn't push.

Seijuurou hated lying to him. He felt like the biggest jerk on the planet when he kissed Makoto goodbye and left for the station, the look of  _hurt_ still coloring Makoto's face, though he desperately tried to hide it.

Rin and Sousuke didn't have to ask how it went, judging by the look on his face, they knew it went terribly.

"What happened this time?" Rin sighed, shaking his head a little.

"Some asshole set fire to a factory and made my boyfriend put it out," he snapped. He's angry, frustrated and wants to be married to Makoto already. Was that just too much to ask?

"About that…" Rin began, rubbing the back of his head. Rin was rarely this nervous. Seijuurou was immediately alert.

"Tell me," he said, his eyes hardening as he slipped into the leader mode that made him such a good captain.

Rin didn't reply. Sousuke just pointed further down the hall.

Seijuurou found his brother handcuffed to a bench. Ai, despite not being arrested and merely standing next to a grumpy Momo, was bawling hysterically. Seijuurou sighed, not so sure he wanted to deal with his always in trouble brother and the friend he always managed to drag into trouble, so soon after another failed attempt at proposing to his boyfriend.

"What did you do this time?" he asked in exasperation.

"I didn't do anything, I swear!" Momo's big, round golden eyes stared pleadingly up at his big brother. Seijuurou knew better than to believe his lying his ass.

"Ai, you can go now," he commanded, not trying to be mean to the teen, but clearly dismissing him and his misplaced loyalty to his ungrateful brother. Without seeing if Ai complied, Seijuurou uncuffed his brother from the bench, grabbed him by the arm, and literally dragged the teenage delinquent into his office, Rin and Sousuke following him.

"What did he do this time?" he directed his question towards the two police officers, ignoring his brother's protests including varying degrees of  _'I didn't do anything.'_

"He ran," Sousuke said as if that explained everything, glaring at Momo.

"We just wanted to question him about the arson," Rin explained, sending his own glare towards his partner. "We noticed some of the graffiti near the burned down building matched Momo's artwork. So we went to question Momo on whether or not he was there that night, when the little shit ran."

"Hey, I'm not—"

"Shut up," Seijuurou pointed his finger at his brother, not even bother to look at him.

"What did he have on him this time?" He resisted the urge to rub his hand over his face in front of his subordinates.

"Just a little bit of weed."

"Smack him in the back of the head for me." Sousuke gleefully obliged. With a loud, whiny 'ow' from Momo, the other boy finally fell silent.

"Were you there last night?" he demanded in a voice his brother knew better than to argue with. If he did, then Momo knew he was going to rot in a jail cell while they 'lost' his paperwork until he changed his attitude. He knew because that's what Seijuurou did the first time he was arrested.

"Yes," Momo grumbled, still refusing to look at any of them.

"Did you see anything? And do not lie to me."

"Maybe."

His brother must really want to spend a night in jail. All it took, however, was one low growl from him to have Momo changing his mind.

"Okay, okay! Jeez, I saw someone running out of the building shortly before the fire. Okay!"

"What did he look like?" Rin asked.

"What do I get out of it?"

"We won't prosecute you for the drugs," Rin kindly replied.

Seijuurou thought they still should, no matter what kind of information the brat had. "Just open your damn mouth and tell us what you saw."

"A man about the same height as this one here," he said pointing his thumb at Matsuoka. This time Rin cuffed him on the back of the head. "Ow! Lighten up, I was kidding. Anyways, this guy was wearing a jacket with an abnormally high collar that covered up to his ears. His nose was crooked, like it's been broken before. And he had gross brown hair pulled back into a messy ponytail," Momo finished in a huff.

Seijuurou's blood ran cold, the same shock on his face playing across Sousuke and Rin's. They all knew what this meant.

"That, uh, that sounds a lot like the arsonist that burned down the old elementary school last week," Rin said.

"Oh, so you already know who this guy is?" Momo seemed excited, like he was off the hook for identifying the guy in a line up or court and would get away from this scotch free. His brother didn't know what kind of deep shit he was really in.

"We've heard of him. And you want to know what happened to the witness that gave us the very same description you just gave us?"

"You bought him ice cream and sent him on his merry way?"

"He's dead! Someone burned his house down while he was still inside it, trapped in his own closet," he said slowly so his brother would understand.

Momo's eyes widened. "Oh…"

"Was Ai, there?"

Momo shook his head.

"Rin, go find Ai. He probably hasn't left the station anyways. Do you mind taking him in for a few days to watch over him?" Seijuurou asked. He knew the other man often let Ai stay with him considering the teen was homeless after the loss of his parents. He would much rather see Ai with Rin than have to take the poor kid to a detention center. They couldn't leave him on the streets unprotected, just in case.

"Don't worry, Captain. I pretty much already adopted the little twit and he's been living with me permanently for a while now."

"Good. Then I want Momo locked up in jail for the rest of the day." He turned his attention to Momo and did not even bother trying to hide the anger in his tone when he said, "You are coming home with me and staying with me and Makoto until we find this guy."

"Eww. Are you guys gonna be like kissing and stuff, cuz I could just—"

"Don't argue or you can stay in jail until we find him," he hollered at his brother and Momo immediately shut up. Momo may be just an irresponsible idiot, but Seijuurou still loved him and he was not going to let anything happen to his little brother.

This just put a whole new wrench in his proposal plans.

When Seijuurou got home that night, Makoto was sitting on the couch, feet resting on the ottoman, glasses perched on his nose, and a book resting in his hands, dressed only in a pair of sweatpants. The site was so delicious he wanted to ravish him, right there on the couch. Instead he's dragging his idiot brother home with him. Makoto just raised his eyebrow in question.

"This idiot is a witness to a crime and unfortunately in danger. He's staying with us until we can get this sorted out."

"Oh, okay," was all Makoto said. And this was why Seijuurou wanted to be married to him so badly. Makoto knew his life would be in danger, how could he not, by helping Seijuurou protect his idiot brother. He knew and he didn't care and he would do anything for the both of them, no matter what. He needed to put a ring on that finger before anyone else could come along and snatch him up, because Makoto was his, and only his, for the rest of their lives.

Later that night, he did make love to Makoto, apologizing over and over in his head about this morning and begging him to understand with his eyes. He thought Makoto got it, or at the very least part of it, because he doesn't question him on his odd behavior again.

As he fell asleep wrapped around his boyfriend, he couldn't help but worry about what kind of trouble they just found themselves in.

It nagged at him that he put his boyfriend willingly in danger and the next few months were tense and stressful for everyone involved. He insisted on a police escort for Momo and Ai to and from school. When Makoto was working, Momo stayed with him at the station. When it's just Makoto and Momo at home, alone, that was when Seijuurou worried the most. Balking at the strict rules he now had to follow, Momo lashed out at them, arguing over nothing, refusing to leave the guest bedroom and just in general being a little shit head. Seijuurou just wanted to keep him safe and no matter how many times he told his brother that, Momo just didn't get it. So they fought instead. Makoto was very good at diffusing situations, by offering Momo candy or offering him the opportunity to let him hang out in the fire truck to attract cute girls. It didn't always work, though, and more often than not Momo was stomping up to the guest room, slamming the door shut, and staying there for the rest of the night.

Makoto was also very good at keeping Seijuurou calm and level headed through the whole thing, readily offering comfort and reassurances and being the calm center everyone needed right now.

But not even Makoto's calm can stop the storm that follows when a brick was thrown through the front window. Makoto was sitting in the front living room reading, Momo watching tv gloomily next to him, when the brick tore through the window. There's nothing more than a note and a cherry bomb attached to it that scares the crap out of Momo, but doesn't hurt anyone.

That didn't stop Seijuurou from running home to make sure for himself that everyone was okay.

Momo was crying into Makoto's shoulder, saying over and over again about how sorry he was, sorry he went to that factory that night, sorry he didn't take the threats seriously, sorry he put Makoto and his brother in danger.

Seijuurou gathered both of them into a bear hug the second he got home and didn't let go until Sousuke cleared his throat. Even then, he kept an arm around his crying brother's shoulders and another around Makoto's waist while Rin and Sousuke questioned them. They didn't let Momo or Makoto see the note, but it terrified the shit out Seijuurou the great detail the arsonist put on there on not only how he was going to kill Momo, but Makoto and Seijuurou as well.

He's not worried about himself, but not for the first time Seijuurou wished that he could lock his brother and boyfriend up in a nice cozy jail cell until this whole thing was over.

Makoto glared at him for even thinking about it.

It was a few days after that when the next fire popped up, another abandoned building on the south side of the city. When an explosion rocked the building, no one was really surprised. This was not their first arsonist case, and they all knew arsonists always escalated. A few people got minor 2nd degree burns, and the worst of the injuries was a broken wrist. Seijuurou was more thankful than ever before for being a paranoid freak. The cops were the first on the scene and Seijuurou demanded a perimeter be set up at a safe distance, just in case, and that no one enter the burning building. Once the explosion happened, only then did he let his boyfriend and the others finally put the fire out.

Long after the fire was out, the investigators found a note far enough away from the burned down house to survive the fire and the water. The only thing it said was: You're next.

Everyone knew who the note was meant for.

His panic was set in drive and there was no way to put it back on park.

When he got home that night, Momo was fast asleep on the couch, clinging to Makoto even while unconscious. Haru, Nagisa, and Rei were there too.

"Mako-chan, we're just worried about you," the blonde said. Despite his childish countenance, sometimes Nagisa was the most mature and responsible out of the whole group. "Come stay with me and Rei."

"There is no reason to worry. I'm fine." Makoto sounded exasperated like this wasn't the first time he's said that tonight.

Haru was the first to notice him and he's glaring at Seijuurou accusingly, his eyes clearly trying to say 'how dare you put my best friend in danger.' Haru glanced at Makoto, and he knew they were having an entire conversation with just that one look. Whatever was said across their invisible best friend bond, it was enough to make Haru drop the glare, well at least when Makoto was looking.

He deflated a little when he caught Makoto's eyes. His boyfriend's face was set in a frown that quite loudly said 'I'm not going anywhere.'

"Maybe they are right," Seijuurou said, looking away from his boyfriend. "You'd be safer with Haru, or Rei and Nagisa."

"No."

"But—" Nagisa interrupted.

"No." Makoto was not budging on this. "I'll be safe right here with Seijuurou and Momo."

Seijuurou refused to admit that his eyes started to water a little at that, at the complete trust and faith Makoto placed in him. He crossed the room in three giant steps and desperately kissed his boyfriend. "I love you."

"I love you too."

"Okay. We get it," Haru almost huffed, almost.

"Come on, let's go," Rei said. "Leave the lovebirds alone."

Seijuurou nodded his gratitude at Rei and saw them out.

Little did he know it was all coming to an end that very night.

* * *

Seijuurou was cuddled on the couch with Makoto because Momo refused to let go of his tight hold around Makoto's waist, despite being fast asleep. Neither one of them really wanted to leave him, or wake him up and make him sleep alone. He's got an arm around Makoto's waist, his hand running through Momo's hair, when it happened.

The rain started shortly after Makoto's friends left. It was just a light sprinkle at first that quickly turned into a full blown storm. Lightning flashed through the front window. He tightened his hold on his boyfriend, just in case.

There was shouting outside when the next strike of lightning flashed in the window. He couldn't tell what was being shouted, but he knew it was the police officers he stationed outside of his house after the brick incident that were doing the yelling.

Then the bush outside the front window he was staring at started on fire and they're both on their feet in a second.

Seijuurou grabbed his gun and herded both Makoto and Momo to a safer place of the house , a place that he could properly defend. That safer place ended up being the kitchen. Makoto was sitting on the floor in front of a row of cupboards, holding Momo in his arms and doing his best to try and comfort the crying teen.

"It's okay," Makoto reassured Momo. "We won't let anything happen to you." Seijuurou desperately hoped that his promise held true.

There was a window above the sink to his left, a row of windows on the wall across from him, but he had his eyes fixed on the only door into the room on his right.

He heard more shouting over the pounding of rain, the bang of a gun that had Momo whimpering, and then everything fell silent.

"What happened? What's going on?" Momo cried. Makoto shushed him, knowing the importance of silence right now. Seijuurou strained his ears listening for any tiny sound that would indicate danger.

"Captain!" a voice called out through the house, footsteps drawing closer.

"Here!" he replied and waited for the officer to come to him, his gun aimed toward the entrance of the room.

"Captain!" Office Koizumi came running into the run, breathless and soaked. "Captain, we got him!" she exclaimed.

Momo buried his head in Makoto's shoulders and let out a sob. Relief hit Seijuurou hard, washing over him like a tidal wave battering him around in the ocean.

"Report," he ordered.

"The suspect was apprehended attempting to burn down your house. He matched the description given by your brother and the deceased witness. There are no injuries to report, sir. And don't worry, the fire in the bushes went out on its own."

"Good job, Officer Koizumi." He nodded his gratitude at the young officer.

More police showed up to investigate, some Seijuurou knew showed up just to make sure their captain and his family were alright. Even Sousuke and Rin made an appearance, dragging Haru with them, though the blue eyed man looked relieved to see his best friend was unharmed.

Seijuurou did not care how many people trampled through his home that night, all he cared about was that it was finally over. And now he could finally, finally get back to making Makoto his for the rest of their lives.

*

Seijuurou does not see his first three failed attempts at proposing and the arsonist as a sign from the universe that he is not meant to marry Makoto. It's just a sign that he has to try harder. Even if he has to kidnap Makoto, Seijuurou is going to make this happen.

He comes up with a brilliant plan, if he does say so himself, and enlists all their friends, and a few officers, help. It doesn't have to be the perfect day, or the perfect moment, it just has to happen. He sees Officer Koizumi and Officer Minami dragging an extremely confused Makoto towards him and knows  _this is it._

* * *

*****

Makoto doesn't notice anything differently about the trip back to the station after a bogus call, but apparently Kisumi does by the way he keeps glancing out the window and casting Makoto strange looks. Makoto could care less what was happening outside of this fire truck. His shift will be done as soon as he gets back and he can't wait to get home and curl up with his boyfriend on their bed. Not that he doesn't love Momo, he does, but it'll be nice to just be the two of them again. Even before the arsonist, Seijuurou had been acting so odd lately, and he's finally going to pry why out of him. It makes him just a tiny bit upset that Sei is keeping secrets from him.

"Are you like, secretly a wanted criminal?" Kisumi asks, still giving surreptitious looks in his rear view mirror.

"I'm a contract killer wanted in 17 states that seduced the Captain and manipulated him into erasing my criminal past."

"Man, you said that so seriously I almost believed you."

Even Makoto was surprised he managed to say that with a straight face. He smiles at his partner in response then goes back to daydreaming about all the things he wants to do to Sei once they are alone in their bed. He's vaguely aware, between images of a naked Seijuurou, that the street they are on is one he is quite familiar with. Kisumi took the long way home if they are on this street, but he doesn't say anything. The kid's still new to the force, he probably got lost.

"No, but seriously. There's like three cop cars behind us."

"Really?" He takes a look for himself and Kisumi is right, there are in fact three cop cars with their lights flashing behind them. His thoughts immediately go to his boyfriend. Did something happen to him? The thought sends his heart racing and his fingers clench at the material of his suit.

"Pull over," he commands.

"I can't man, there's no place to pull over a freaking fire truck."

"There's a side street that no one uses next to Haru's restaurant. Pull in there."

They wouldn't send three cop cars to inform him if something happened to Sei, that's a bit ridiculous. Was it some sort of prank by Rin? Rin doesn't have the kind of pull to get three cop cars involved, though. Did someone plant drugs in their firetruck? Or is he under arrest? But he hadn't done anything wrong, ever, in his entire life! Was Kisumi under arrest and going to take Makoto hostage in a last ditch effort to escape? But the guy was practically harmless!

None of his wild thoughts did anything to lessen the panic.

As soon as Kisumi parks the fire truck in the alley, the officers swarm them.

"Get out of the vehicle, sir," a voice commands. He doesn't recognize the officer, but complies, slowly getting out of the truck. No one told him to put his hands up, so he doesn't.

"W-what's going on?" he stutters as two officers grab his arms and start pulling him forward, towards Haru's restaurant. None of the officers answer his question. Rin and Sousuke are among the officers, but their stone faces offer nothing to the situation.  _I'm being framed,_ he thinks,  _for a crime I didn't commit!_

He sees Nagisa as he's dragged forward, still in his astronaut suit from his job at the planetarium. He has his arm linked with Rei who is dressed in his lab coat that has a strange purple substance splattered all over it. Even Momo is there, standing in front of an impressive display of graffiti art that has lots of hearts and an abstract image of two people kissing and the whole thing just looks like love. After the little disaster with being targeted by an arsonist, Momo promised his brother he would clean up his act. The teen stuck true to his words, and even got hired by Haru to make art for his restaurant.

He's dragged into that very restaurant, still hopelessly confused as to what is going on, when he's suddenly dropped in front of two officers. They part like a saloon door, to reveal…

"Sei!" He stumbles forward and his boyfriend catches him, taking both of his hands into his own. "What is going  _on_  here?"

Sei's smile is wide and bright and eases the panic that still thrums through his veins. Then Seijuurou drops to his knees. Makoto is too shocked for words as the pieces finally click together.

Haru arrives with a platter, a little jewelry box the only thing on it. Sei lets go of one hand and grabs the box, opening it to reveal a plain silver ring. His breath catches in his throat.

"Makoto," he says, his beautiful golden eyes holding his gaze. There are tears in both of their eyes as Seijuurou speaks. "Will you marry me?"

There is a little tiny bit of doubt in those golden eyes, but Makoto dispels it with a simple 'yes' that tumbles from his lips. "Yes, God yes, of course I'll marry you."

The tears are falling from his eyes now, as Sei surges to his feet. With a hand behind Makoto's head, Sei pulls him into a kiss, as his other arm snakes around his waist. The world falls away. It's just the two of them, holding each other tight.

A cheer rises from their friends startling him and forcing them apart. When the ring is placed on his finger, and Sei looks at him with those eyes full of love and only for him, the blood rushes to his face.

"I love you."

"I love you too," Makoto says and then they're kissing again until someone clears their throat, rather loudly, several times.

There's cake, that Haru accidentally spills on Rin, and a whole buffet. Haru's restaurant is all theirs for them and their friends and family to celebrate. There's congratulations, and hugs, and kisses on the cheek. There's people calling their names, small talk, his mother who can't stop crying, and the twins who won't stop hugging him. Until finally everyone says their goodbyes, leaving the happy couple alone at last.

"I'm so glad you said yes," Sei sighs. He's absentmindedly eating a piece of cake that did not end up on Rin.

"Was there ever any doubt," Makoto replies accepting the forkful of cake that Sei offers him.

"No, not really," he amends. "It's just that I've been trying to propose for 6 months."

"Six months," Makoto says, counting back the months in his head. "Oh my God, New Year's Eve. The question you wanted to ask…before I started puking in the bushes."

Sei chuckles. "Yeah, couldn't really propose after that. There was also that vacation we went on."

"Vacation? What happened then?"

Sei is blushing furiously. "I lost the ring."

"You lost the ring?" he asks, just a little bit credulous.

"I had to stuff it in my pocket real quick because you were coming out of the bathroom, and it must have slipped out. I found it later, but you were already asleep."

"I'm so—"

"None of that," Sei insists, silencing him with a kiss. "I could have still proposed without the ring."

"You could have," Makoto agrees.

"There was also that night of the arson."

"You mean the dinner and the candles and then I completely passed out on you. Sei, I'm—" Sorry doesn't make it past his lips as Sei's glare clearly says he doesn't want to hear it.

"It's nobody's fault. I should have waited until your next shift when I realized how late you were coming home."

They finish the cake in silence, Seijuurou offering him every other bite. "You know, you didn't have to do all this for me."

"I wanted it to be special." Seijuurou is so shy and earnest, he almost sounds like a child. "You are worth everything and more."

Makoto face softens into a smile as he tangles their legs under the table. "I—We don't need to get married to prove our love."

"I want to be with you for the rest of my life, and I want you to be mine forever."

"I was yours forever from the very first date."

The look Sei gives him suggests his boyfriend might not have know that, but really, how could Makoto ever want anyone else?


End file.
